A flour-thickened vegetable sauce melds flavors with orange roughy in this bayou-country dish.

Baked Fish Creole

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped peeled onion
1 tablespoon chopped seeded green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup canned tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 whole bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups hot water
3 pounds orange roughy fillets (see note)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Melt butter over medium-low heat in large, heavy skillet; sauté onion, green pepper and garlic, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add flour and mix well; continue cooking, stirring often, until flour has browned a bit, about 1 minute.
3. Add tomato sauce, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in hot water. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
4. Arrange fish in shallow baking pan; cover with sauce.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf prior to serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: Any firm-fleshed white fish can be substituted for orange roughly in this recipe.